Merry Prankster In L.A. Wants To Start 2017 On A High Note

On the morning of Jan. 1, Los Angeles residents and visitors alike awoke to see the iconic Hollywood sign had been altered overnight.

Some were delighted. A number of posts on Instagram Sunday are captioned things like, "I love this city!" and "Let's keep it!"

Police were, perhaps, less amused: They were investigating the vandalism Sunday, and said the male prankster was recorded by security cameras wearing all black at around 3 a.m. He could face a misdemeanor trespassing charge if caught.

This actually isn't the first time this has happened. Whether it was a tribute, or an accident, the vandal mimicked a similar prank that was done 41 years ago today by Daniel Finegood, on Jan. 1 1976: The day California's relaxed marijuana law took effect. According to the LA Times, Finegood did a number of similar stunts, changing the sign to read "Ollywood" to protest the worship of Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North during the Iran-Contra hearings in 1987, and "Oil War" in 1990 as a political statement about the Persian Gulf War.

The "Hollyweed" prank, however, seems more like a celebration than a protest. The AP suggests it might be a gesture to the approval of Proposition 64 in November, which will legalize recreational use of marijuana beginning in 2018.

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